Should The Fargo Forum Print Gay Marriage Announcements?
A Fargo gay couple, who will be getting married in New York City, submitted their marriage announcement to the Fargo Forum for publication. The newspaper responded with an email saying that they don’t print announcements for homosexual marriages.
That has brought outcry and criticism to the paper, and now editor Matt Von Pinnon says the newspaper is reviewing the policy.
Should the Forum print the announcement? I’d print it if it were my newspaper. If two adults want to announce their union publicly for their friends and family, as is traditional in American society, I’d happily run that announcement.
Should the Forum have to print the announcement? Is this a civil rights issue? No, it’s not. The Forum is a privately owned organization and should be allowed to print, or not print, whatever they want. If they want to pick and choose on wedding announcements, so be it.
What bothers me far more than gay marriage, which I have no problem with, is this idea that we have a right to impose values and beliefs on others. Everyone should have free choice. Gays should be free to choose marriage. Others, be they churches or newspapers or employers, should have a right not to recognize those marriages if they don’t want to.
That’s what freedom means. It’s not bullying others into believing what you believe, but recognizing that others have the freedom to disagree with you if they want.
Tags: fargo forum, gay marriage, North Dakota News
